HEADLINES: Immigration – May 9th, 2013

Visit our blog every Thursday for HEADLINES: Immigration. I will bring you all the most important and up-to-date news on the immigration debate. From reform to detention to the DREAM Act, HEADLINES: Immigration gives easy access to all the news you want in one place.

Visas Set Aside for Iraqis, Afghans in Senate Immigration Bill. Iraqis and Afghans who risk their lives to help American troops would be eligible for special visas to the United States under the Gang of Eight’s immigration reform bill. [The Hill]

Study Sets Off Immigration Bill Squabble. A bipartisan Senate immigration bill would cost the government a net $6.3 trillion over the next 50 years to provide benefits for millions of people now living in the U.S. illegally, the Heritage Foundation said in a report Monday, setting off a fierce dispute with fellow conservatives who attacked the study as flawed and political. [NPR]

Transformation of a Town Underscores Immigrant’s Impact. Nearly 20 years after he arrived penniless in this country from Mexico, Moises owns two restaurants, with a third on the way. He has five employees, an American wife and a stepdaughter. His food even has a following on Yelp.com. [New York Times]

Christians Embrace New Neighbors. The politics surrounding immigration reform seem to have reached a tipping point. [Kansas City Star]

Violence, Hardship Fuel Central American Immigration to U.S. William Ordonez and his wife, Carolia, thought that starting a new business in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, was a great idea. [NPR]

Latinos Now Less Likely to Report Crimes to Police, Poll Says. Many Latinos say they are less likely than before to report crimes because local police are increasingly involved in enforcing immigration laws, leading to a sharp increase in deportations, according to a new study. [LATimes]

How the Supreme Court’s DOMA Ruling Could Upend the Immigration Debate. As the political debate over whether to include protections for same-sex couples in immigration reform heats up in the Capitol, the real control over what’s going to happen with the issue likely rests with the Supreme Court. [Buzzfeed]

U.S Senate’s Immigration Has to be Good, not Perfect. No one doubt that the push to overhaul the nation’s immigration system is imperiled by hard-liners who would gut reform legislation by removing any realistic prospect of citizenship for undocumented residents. [Washington Post]

Chuck Schumer’s Role in Immigration Reform May Define His Legacy. Or Undo it. Chuck Schumer set his alarm clock early each morning to fly back to Washington D.C. from New York in late 1986. [ABC News]

Grads Preferred to Grandmas in Proposed Immigration Bill. Immigration authorities would give preference to better-educated and trained visa-seekers who can contribute to the American economy under a less-noticed provision of the immigration bill in the Congress. [Reuters]

Practical Enhancements Must not be Lost in Push for Immigration Reform. As the ‘Gang of Eight’ Immigration Reform Bill was introduced on the floor of the Senate this week, much speculation has centered on what might be added and what taken away before the bill could come forward for a vote. [The Hill]